Create an Antihero
We deliver thought-provoking, theoretical and conceptual information each session, but an important part of building your skills involves doing. Every Session you’re invited to take part in a community project, and in so doing build your skills. Regardless of your experience level, it’s a great chance to expand your portfolio, and get feedback from your peers.
Take the knowledge that you gain throughout this session and apply what you learn. Post your project in the comments below. We’ve set up the comments so that image URLs can be added. Be sure to leave your thoughts and insightful critique of the work posted, which will help everyone improve their work. We’ll be selecting a handful of prominent projects to promote in our final day Session Wrap, so be sure to submit your project before April 22nd for consideration.
Creative Session 1 – Project Brief
In this session’s project the brief is to create a character that defies traditional classifications. Construct a great antihero, whether you create a caffeine addicted turtle, or imbue a cute marshmallow with evil genius; it’s up to you. Mix and match happy and sad characteristics to create a unique personality for your character. Push opposing internal forces against each other.
Whether it’s a true antihero or just an interesting character filled with conflicting emotions is up to you. You want your character to be likable though, right? So, a careful balance of personality and concepts will need to be applied here. Push passed preconceived notions and make a truly unique character. Get to it!
Style and Format
There is no limit in style. We look forward to seeing a wide mix of approaches. Here are some possibilities though:
- You could draw or paint the character and just scan it in.
- Create a polished vector character in Illustrator.
- Pull out your Wacom and paint a character in Photoshop.
- Jump into Poser and craft a 3D character.
Final format on this project is really open. We’d like to see final art as 600 pixel wide JPG or larger though. Also, include a character backstory, as the story and personality are often just as important as the rendered character.
Skill Building
Not only does this project build your skills with crafting a character, refining your process, and mastering your craft, but it will get you thinking about character personality. An important part of this project is thinking about what makes your character interesting. What quirky moments would describe your character’s life? What physiological mix is stirring in your character’s brain?
Inspiration
I’m sure everyone has their favorite cartoon characters. Analyze what you love about those characters? Of those character’s you love, which ones are more complex, quirky, and mix both positive and negative traits into a wonderful stew. I think Hello Kitty would be much more interesting if she consistently fought the urge to eat her young. Or as you’ll see Von Glitchka depict in this session, the anit-mickey, anyone for a classic knife wielding mouse? We’ll also see Sascha Pruess depict a visual formula for making cute characters, which she’s applied to the cutest militia on the planet in the Bubble Army.
Feedback and Positive Criticism
It’s just as important to leave helpful tips, suggestions, and positive criticism of your peers’ work, as it is to complete the assigned project. We’re looking to create something much like in illustration or design class, where you post your work up on a board (in this case, the comments are the board) and everyone can critique the work.
Keep in mind that professional decorum, insightful opinions, and positive suggestions will be appreciated by all. I look forward to building this community, participating in the discussions, and the projects as well. Now let’s get to work on our character designs, and post some work for review below.
Great! I’ll take this as an oppoturnity to learn drawing! I hope people won’t flame me until death for my horrible drawing skills
!
Bwahaha, I have no idea what I’m doing.
This is my happy little stormcloud antihero(not really, just a mix of happy/sad). Once a miserable, dark, ominous shape looming in the sky, but not anymoar.
Apparently I did the image attatchment wrong.
Excellent idea, will try to learn to draw … and English. Greetings from Argentina. Antihero´s to the rescue!!
This is my first attempt at illustrating a fictional character so please be easy on me!
The Story:
Goats seem innocent, but they have an evil side. They draw you in with there cute little horns, but when you least expect it, they…
Excellent subject! Have you ever see what goat eyes look like? They’ve got those evil looking pupils that are demonic looking. Finally someone understands just how evil goats are!
I like him! I think he has the cute, but mischievous thing going. A goat you shouldn’t turn your back on.
Goo Job. I’ll try to think something out!!!
Wonderful idea! I think I’ll love this new tuts+ site! I’ll try to draw something nice
can i have your email……………………..
Heh…made this one for an avatar about a year ago, hope you like it
Creative sessions WOOHOO! / / /
Awesome background gradient and I really like the halo! Nice design!
Thnx, Luke! Much appreciated!
can anyone tell me how to turn off that !@#% illustrator “you missed the anchor point” beep.
it makes me want to throw my computer out the window.
first pass.
comments please.
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8183/punkrockgirl.jpg
maybe this link will work better?
If anybody needs help coming up with a character, I found this character design worksheet via Google:
It’s a PDF document: http://www.thefantasy.info/media/thefantasy/character-design-worksheet.pdf
will this be the forum for all posts for review?
Yes, post all characters in this thread. Thanks.
Took a shot at my own anti-hero. Drawn on an index card with pen and colored pencil. I tried to add enough to the image so that you could make your own “heroic” back story for the blue monster guy.
I’d post him up here, but the add image script keeps telling me it’s not a valid image. You can see it at:
http://indexcards.rubyyot.com/2010/04/13/antihero/
does it often take long to get approved?
is there a bug?
will I get a notice as to why my message hasn’t be allowed
The only heroes I find interesting ARE anti-heroes. I’ve been working on this character for a while so had to post.
This is my character, simply “Crow”. He lives in a futuristic, factory-city (think fritz lang’s Metropolis) in which the citizens go only from their living quarters to work and home. This city builds war machines and other bad stuff.
He is a machine designed to kill, but by doing so, ends up thwarting the evil dictator/factory-city foreman’s plans that would have brought harm to his citizens/employees….on the other hand, when low on fuel, Crow eats these same employees on their way between their living areas and assigned factories.
See his comics at: http://www.jacobhalton.com/ics
The text (a little too small here) says:
[Broken Wings]
[Damaged Circuitry]
“Spacey Look”
Wings shift down for flight (Should retract, but are broken)
[Intake]
[Jets]
Fueled by organic plasma, human blood. Designed as a killing tool, but was secretly programmed to complete a more noble, higher task…..
Legs fold up and hug torso, become propulsion mechanism
[Jets]
[Intake]
Weapons, become bird “feet” during flight
[Claws]
This is Murky the magpie.
Like any magpie he likes to steal shiny stuff,
he just takes it one step further and sells it to the highest bidder.
i like the idea!
I don’t Understand. What is Antihero ?
i want to participate so please could someone explain ?
Thanks
Here is a link to info about what an antihero is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antihero and great to see everyone’s work being posted.
Man there is some really talented sketches so far. For once this is giving me the itch to bust out the sketch book and come up with something!
I got a couple of ideas for possible antiheroes, my favoured option being some sort of Ninja Lemming..
hopefully I’ll pick up enough skills to put something together..
My character
Very nice, no very very good. I like it a lot.
But the name for a man is FRANÇOIS because Françoise it’s for a girl.
You are right about the name
My bad !
This really made me laugh! It made me think of that scene in Bugsy Malone with the guy cleaning the bar after everyone has left. I love it when inanimate objects get a back story.
great work….
I created this character as part of my short that I never got to finish. Short description of the character:
Name: Ameno
Race : Baku
Gender : Male
Age : Unknown
Height : 72 cm
Weight : 40 kg
Place of birth : Dreamland
Favorite food : Nightmares, demons, monsters
Hobby : Fly around
Biggest fear : Not able to help kids with nightmares
Weapon: extendable tongue
Other : Ameno lives in Dreamland. His job is to eat nightmares from children and make them into sweet dreams. He’s the smallest Baku in Dreamland. He has to proof himself and show that he’s capable to protect the children from nightmares. Ameno is playful and likes to fly through the fluffy clouds in Dreamland.
Something went wrong with the extra info:
Other : Ameno lives in Dreamland. His job is to eat nightmares from children and make them into sweet dreams. He’s the smallest Baku in Dreamland. He has to proof himself and show that he’s capable to protect the children from nightmares. Ameno is playful and likes to fly through the fluffy clouds in
Great to see multiple poses.
I’ve been slowly teaching myself to draw, but I’m a writer first. (I’m actually trying to teach myself to draw/illustrate so I can eventually draw for my own writing.) I took the reluctant hero approach to the anti-hero. She’s trying to figure out how she got dragged into the situation she is now expected to fix…against her will.
Is is necessary i add color to it? I have a great idea creeping up my mind, i hope i could put it up on paper
this is my character is called match is a guy who likes their arson fire always causes problems from which to be rejected by the society is helping people with their powers
born when a meteor fell in the middle of the rock was (very superman jajaja)
hot boy accidentally from their belching fire did their parents with problems
His greatest desire is to be a fireman …
Awesome .=0)
this picture is better
really cool
the drawing is great
thanks.. you character its great
This is my character- “Chekutan”!!!
Sorry- this is one should work…
This is a cute little devil character I drew today. I was working on making an evil character that looks cute. I don’t have a story or name for him yet – need to let it percolate a bit.
creative session ———– woo, I love the way you teach / educate people to go beyond their imaginations and stay one step ahead in creative field of arts & design.
I recently just finished my online portfolio and wanted to try and break out from the norm, showcase some of the serious clients Ive had but also show that I have illustrative capabilities too. I had a basic logo for a company wayyyyyy back in uni – titan designs, and while that actually had a titan as part of the logo, it sucked
With a lifestyle change AND the recent film coming out, it inspired me to try it right and use the experience I had gained to do a logo that was specific to the company, but not layered in fancy doodles, but then add those fancy doodles to the design of the site to stand out.
Then I found this great resource and it all clicked – what better anti-heroes than the gods and titans themselves? Left to judge mortals and wage eternal wars for their own beliefs, some praise them, others fear them.
Ive taken captures of the designs from the site itself, not sure if I can link to the site so you can see them in full effect, but do a search and hopefully it comes up
Ive always been passionate about illustrations and characters, not always the best when it comes to anatomy so use a lot of reference material, but I think this is a great resource guys really!
In case the link doesnt appear, you can see the characters here:
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/2715/titansz.jpg
Hey, very nice design and effects
Oh, I didnt realise, you can click my name and it takes you to the real site (sorry, but I just checked titandesigns.co.uk and that one ISNT mine I assure you
)
Her name is Glass Woman. She’s basically the most pointless super hero ever. She has the ability to turn herself into glass which makes her even more vulnerable to attacks. She also can’t move while in glass form, adding to her vulnerability. She still tries to fight crime, though. We’ll see how long she lasts with a super power like that.
Sorry the text got scrunched. Here’s what I wrote:
“Her name is Glass Woman. She’s basically the most pointless super hero ever. She has the ability to turn herself into glass which makes her even more vulnerable to attacks. She also can’t move while in glass form, adding to her vulnerability. She still tries to fight crime, though. We’ll see how long she lasts with a super power like that.
”
HumanBuster’s history goes like this: He lived in Penny Lane, a city filled with strange beings, and his job was to hunt human that accidently got into the city. But one day, doing his route, he accidently got out of city. The problem was that Penny Lane is magical city, and to go back is almost impossible. But I said ALMOST. In HumanBuster’s case he had to kill the entire human kind before stepping into the city again.
This is Temperance Slug. He expounds the evils of drinking to everyone he meets. But what people may not realize is that Mr. Slug is battling his own inner demons – he can’t pass up a dish of beer in the garden.
I don’t know if this link will work. If not, click on my name to see the image. Thanks!
April 22nd? :/ I wish I could have more time to submit my character
Diana
I started my participation on creative sesssions, trying to develop something valuable. I hope you like and, of course, I’ll be glad to receive any suggestions or comments.
@CHANDANUEL
Maybe this link works… sorry
@CHANDANUEL
Can I still send my character?
So some kind of caveman-hero-guy. Not a preferable hero to call such as batman, but he gets the job done.
And I know the deadline’s over, but why not.
Look cute but will BURN the kitchen later… ha ha ha
Here’s a character I’ve been working on for a few months now for a clothing line I’m trying to start. I just happened onto this page and think he’s perfect for it.
The Evil Bunny.
Oh, I missed the deadline. My bad…
Hand Drawn-Digitally Painted.
I know that it is after the deadline, but I’ll post my “antihero” anyway
It is my little studio (“Another way”) mascot and here is his description:
“It is Bivius. His name is derived from Latin and means ‘two ways.’
Bivius arose form the sea of ideas. Ever since his birth he is running around our studio and getting into mischief, but all in all we find him very helpful. Thanks to his magical powers, Bivius is able to come up with unconventional ideas. They inspire us to create new solutions which reach a wider audience.
His presence makes every day a new adventure. ”
This image shows an old stressed out, thought beautiful.
Software: Photoshop CS5
http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r297/Anuar_2007/?action=view¤t=bruja.jpg
If anyone is having a difficult time with a concept maybe this site can help get you started. http://www.thecharacterflaw.com